


Gloves

by ElizaXSpears



Category: The Evil Within (Video Game)
Genre: Established Relationship, I hate tags, I think that's it - Freeform, I'm horrible at them, Love, M/M, Oh and slight sexy time, Rings, Romance, Sebastian smokes a bit, Small bit of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-25
Updated: 2015-04-25
Packaged: 2018-03-25 16:15:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3816820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElizaXSpears/pseuds/ElizaXSpears
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Take off your gloves</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gloves

They were always on his hands, even after the work day was done, he didn’t take them off. His bare skin was so rare to see nowadays and Sebastian could remember when they were younger seeing Joseph’s hands free of that black leather. He asked once before why he worn them so often now but Joseph avoided the question, bringing up something else to converse about. “Take them off.” Sebastian when he held Joseph’s hands in his. “You’re hiding something.”

“I’m just cold.” Joseph replied, pulling away. “My hands are cold.” Sebastian blinked when he was pushed aside as Joseph entered his apartment without inviting him in.

How could such a question invoke such hurt and a bit of anger his partner’s normally calm eyes? To Sebastian, it didn’t make any sense but he had to just keep prying away at him and soon enough, Joseph would give up and tell him.

He questioned himself sometimes, when he stared at Joseph’s hands, why wanting to know about the gloves was so important to him. “Curiosity?” Connelly said after a sip from his coffee, sat beside Sebastian outside the department while the older man smoked.

“It’s more than that.” Sebastian frowned. “I dunno. I just…really wanna fuckin’ know why he won’t let me see his hands.”

“Maybe he doesn’t like how small they are compared to yours.” Sebastian gave him a look. “What? Maybe it’s like the big feet thing.”

“…that’s…no.” he sighed. “You’re not helpin’.”

“Ask Kidman then.”

“Did. Said nothin’, laughed then left.” He looked down at his own hand, skin calloused and dry. “I dunno why I’m obsessed with his hands.”

“How ‘bout this. You wanna hold skin instead of leather. Y’know, actually feel him alive and warm.” He drank again. “Can’t be nice holdin’ hands with a piece of leather all the time.”

“It’s not.” He flipped his hand over then took a drag from his smoke. “We don’t really hold hands though.” He folded his hands in his lap and leant his elbows on his knees, thinking deeply. “Hey Oscar?”

“Yeah?”

“Did Joseph act, I dunno, weird when I was…at that point?”

Connelly lent his head against the wall. “Um…nope. Just was worried about you, why?”

“Curious.”

Connelly rolled his head to look at Sebastian. “Gotta ask. Does he take ‘em off when you two are intimate?”

“Nope.”

“…wow.”

“I know.” After one last drag, he let the smoke drop from his lips and crushed the butt under his shoe. “Well, better get back to work.” Connelly didn’t help much but he was determined to get those damned gloves off…maybe tonight he could try.

“Seb.” Joseph sighed as Sebastian worked on the buttons of his shirt. “Thank God it’s Friday.”

Sebastian grunted his agreement, pushing his hands against Joseph’s now bare chest, feeling his partner’s lithe form. “Take it off.” He ordered, tugging at Joseph’s opened shirt. “And the gloves.”

Joseph paused with the shirt bunched at his elbows. “No.”

Sebastian grabbed Joseph’s wrists. “Take. Them. Off.”

“No. They’re staying on.”

“Why? And don’t fuckin’ tell me it’s because you’re cold.”

“…Sebastian.” Joseph swallowed. “Please…let me keep them on.”

“Why? Why can’t I see your hands?”

Joseph looked away but he did as Sebastian wanted. He pulled his gloves off then held up his bare hands to his partner. When Sebastian expected to see scars or burns or something, he was surprised to find nothing but pale flesh. “See?”

“…no. I don’t.” he took Joseph’s hands in his, holding back a sigh at finally feeling warmth in his hands. “What am I missing?”

Joseph met his eyes again, surprising Sebastian yet again when tears brimmed in the corner of them. “I wore them because...” he trailed off, closing his eyes.

“Why, Joseph? Tell me”

Swallowing, Joseph removed his hands from Sebastian’s using the heels of them to wipe his eyes. “You were drinking so much, scarring your body on the inside, pushing away everyone that cared about you, me. When you got angry with me about the AI report, I wanted to tell you that I did it because I love you.” His breath came out shaking, “but I knew you wouldn’t like a confession like that so soon so I kept it bolted up and I began wearing the gloves because I wanted something to symbolize that I could never feel what I touched because I wasn’t touching you, I wasn’t able to reach your heart.”

“But…I’m with you now.”

“You still wear her ring.” Sebastian glanced down at his own hand, having gotten so used to the feeling of the band around his finger, he completely forgot about it. “How can you be with me now when you’re still, even a little bit, committed to her?” He sat on the edge of the bed. “I know it’s selfish but I love you and she’s…gone. We know that.” He gripped the sheets of the bed. “I feel like I’m just someone for you to project her onto.”

Sebastian frowned and looked down at his hand again, fiddling with the ring around his finger. He’d swore he’d never take it off as it was part of his vow he shared with Myra but Joseph was right, everyone was right. She was gone. Whether dead or alive, he didn’t know, but she was still gone.

With a little effort, the ring slipped off and he stared at it for moments more before looking up to Joseph, his parents head still bowed and Sebastian could see the faint sheen of tears on his cheeks. “God, I’m a grown man.” He muttered, wiping his eyes again. “I shouldn’t be crying over something as stupid as this.”

“Just means ya love me, like you kept sayin’.” He took a deep breath, deciding he wanted to do something sporadic, daring and maybe a little crazy. “How long have we been datin’?”

“Almost a year.”

“Then…” he grabbed Joseph’s hand and placed the ring in his palm. “Wear it.”

Joseph blinked at the object then up to Sebastian. “Wear it?”

“Yes.” He folded Joseph’s fingers into a fist, making sure he held the ring tightly. “I loved Myra and yeah, I still do, but you’re here for me, you were always there for me.” He kissed his cheek. “I know it’s a weddin’ ring but…I want it to mean something different for us.”

“Like what?”

“I want it to bond us together even if this relationship doesn’t work out, I want us to remain as close as we can. I love you, so much Joseph and it’s too early for me to ask you to marry me but, if you’ll take it, think of the ring as something that I want you to have as a token of how much I really do care about you.” He tilted his head to kiss Joseph’s stunned lips. “You were able to reach my heart and now it’s been pulled in tight beside yours.”

Joseph blinked, feeling the warmth of the metal in his palm and all he could do was nod. Little did he know, the wedding ring would be used again, except this time, it’d be around his finger.

**Author's Note:**

> I’m not entirely sure what this is. I just let my mind run free and this came out. I need sleep so I blame my tired mind for this. Aw well. Hope it’s good and you enjoyed it!


End file.
